United Russia Heads for Win in First Parliamentary Vote Since War Began

United Russia is projected to win Russia's State Duma elections, the first such vote since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, held over three days ending September 20.

• The Central Election Commission, with about 14% of ballots counted, placed United Russia at 57.5% of the vote.
• A state-run exit poll gave United Russia 49.4%, the Communist Party 14.2% and the Liberal Democratic Party 10.7%.
• Eleven parties competed for 450 Duma seats, with voting held for the first time in regions annexed by Russia during the war.
• Putin said the vote would test public support for the war in Ukraine.
• Russian officials accused Ukraine of trying to disrupt the election after hundreds of drones struck Moscow and other regions, killing at least five people.
• Turnout reached 56.66 percent in the vote, with initial results showing United Russia comfortably ahead.
• The only anti-war party, Yabloko, was barred from the ballot, and its chairman said the new Duma will remain fully supportive of Putin.
• Putin has ruled out a new wave of mobilisation, amid public anxiety over the war's continuation.
• Russia's Defense Ministry vowed to intensify high-precision strikes against military targets in Kyiv in response to the drone attacks.
• Zelensky said the strikes used about ten domestically produced weapon types, including the first operational use of a new FB-7 Pelican ballistic missile.
• The Supreme Court removed Yabloko from the ballot on August 10, citing alleged foreign funding and intellectual property violations.
• Analysts said Yabloko's 1–5% support would shift to other parties, boosting protest and tactical voting that could weaken United Russia's mandate.